Priti Patel says Labour ethnic minority MPs who accused her of using heritage are ‘racist’

MPs accused home secretary of ‘gaslighting’ victims of racism in comments on her own experiences

Priti Patel has accused a group of Labour MPs from ethnic minorities, including Diane Abbott, of being “racist” for objecting to her comments about her own experiences of discrimination.

More than 30 MPs wrote to the home secretary earlier this month to accuse her of “gaslighting” minority communities by speaking in a Commons debate on the Black Lives Matter protests about the racism which she had suffered as a young woman.

But Ms Patel today accused them of using stereotypes about the way ethnic minority women should behave.

She told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday: “They clearly take the stance and the position that I just don’t conform to their preconceived idea or stereotypical view of what an ethnic minority woman should stand for and represent.

“In my view that in itself is racist. So it’s very disappointing and I’ve made it quite clear I’m not going to dignify that letter any further.”

In a Commons debate on anti-racist protests, Ms Patel told MPs how she had herself suffered racial slurs in the playground and had been “racially abused in the street”.

Responding to criticism from Labour’s Florence Eshalomi, Ms Patel said: “It must have been a very different home secretary who as a child was frequently called a Paki in the playground, a very different home secretary who was racially abused in the streets or even advised to drop her surname and use her husband’s in order to advance her career.

“When it comes to racism, sexism, tolerance or social justice, I will not take lectures from the other side of the house.”

In response, a group of Labour MPs including frontbencher Naz Shah, former shadow home secretary Ms Abbott, Ms Eshalomi, Tan Dhesi and Rosena Allin-Khan wrote to Ms Patel to urge her to “reflect” on her words.

“We write to you as black, Asian and ethnic minority Labour MPs to highlight our dismay at the way you used your heritage and experiences of racism to gaslight the very real racism faced by black people and communities across the UK,” they wrote.

“Our shared experiences allow us to feel the pain that communities feel, when they face racism, they allow us to show solidarity towards a common cause; they do not allow us to define, silence or impede on the feelings that other minority groups may face.

“Being a person of colour does not automatically make you an authority on all forms of racism.

“In conclusion, we ask you to reflect on your words and to consider the impact it had towards the black communities in the UK trying to highlight their voices against racism.”